SOUTH AFRICA: SIX THOUSAND BLACK WORKERS DISMISSED BY OIL PRODUCTION COMPANY.

Record ID: 344632

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: SIX THOUSAND BLACK WORKERS DISMISSED BY OIL PRODUCTION COMPANY.
  • Date: 8th November 1984
  • Summary: 1. GVs Workers being paid off by armed security guards. (3 SHOTS) 0.21 2. GV Bus leaves from township with workers on board. 0.31 3. GV & SV Road block at township entrance. (2 SHOTS) 0.38 4. GV Convoy of trucks carrying dismissed workers and belongings. 0.49 5. SV & GV Workers carrying belongings leaving camps. (2 SHOTS) 1.00 6. GV PAN Workers collecting belongings in field. 1.09 7. GV Bus station, awaiting workers' departure to homelands. 1.13 8. GV, SV & CU Workers waiting to collect final pay. (3 SHOTS) 1.35 InitialsASG/JRS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd November 1984 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SECUNDA, EAST TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5LF73542VWB4AD1C9GDIS145X
  • Story Text: SECUNDA, EAST TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA

    South Africa's vast synthetic fuel group Sasol fired its remaining three thousand black workers on November 7 after dismissing another three thousand the previous day for having jointed a two-day work stoppage earlier in the week. The six thousand formed at least ninety per cent of the work force, and had apparently joined demonstrations in Transvaal township areas organised by the nation's emerging black trade unions. The sacking, reportedly the largest-ever mass dismissal in South Africa's history, forced the labourers - mostly migrants from distant homelands - to return to their homes after Sasol gave them a few hours to gather their belongings and leave company property. Watched by armed security guards, company cashiers paid off the employees' final wages and sent back to their tribal homes in a fleet of buses. The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) accused the police of detaining at least six strike organisers and of confiscating documents from several offices of anti-apartheid and black trade union groups. The UDF called the detentions and the searches "blatant intimidation", and noted the Sasol crackdown came two days after the re-election of US President Ronald Reagan, who was accused of showing greater tolerance of the present South African government than previous Washington administrations.

    <strong>Source: REUTERS - MIKE GAVSHON</strong>
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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